Portable house.



No. VWVLTL. PATENTED AUG, 15, 1905 1L A. WALKER..

PORTABLE HUSE..

A?PLIOATIOH IFILEIDMAYZQ, w05.

3 SHEETS-MEET l*v 4 lnvaentor *WW/f ff Attorneys Nol 79mm. PATENTED AUG'-15, 1905, J., A. mmm

PORTABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED mm2, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fi Q H. j/www WQCQZ Witnesses inventor x 1 f I O i Attorneys wauw. g4 Gamm cu, nom-mmcmpnins. wAsmuGnm n a No. VWA'M. PATNTED AUG. 15 1905..

A.. WALKER. PRTABLE HUUSE.,

LPIPLIUATION FILED MAY Z2, 1905.

llhllfll) STATES PATENT FFCE,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed May 22, 1905. Serial No. 261,644.

Be it known that I, latins A. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of llifinnebage and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful l9'ortable House, of which the following is a specilication.

'lhis invention relates to portable houses of that class in which a framework is provided consisting of timbers previously prepared and adapted to be connected with each other by means of suitable castings, so as to form bents which are connected with each other by means of ridge-beams, plates, and sills, the several castings being constructed and adapted for the reception of the members of the framework.

The invention has for its object to present a device of this class which shall possess su vperior advantages in point of simplicity, du-

rability, and general efficiency.

A further object of the invention is te provide a roof-covering composed of flexible, preferably textile, material which shall be adapted to be stretched upon the part of the 'framework which constitutes the roof-frame.

WV ith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the inven tion is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying' drawings has been illustrated a preferred form ofthe invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise details therein exhibited; but the right is reserved to any changes, alterations, and modifications to which recourse may be had within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the efficiency of the same.

ln said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectivel view showing a portion of the framework of a portable house constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. liig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the rafters. Fig. f1 is a perspective view of one of the top er cap castings. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cross-beam-supporting castings. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 8 is a side view of a supporting-hook. lFig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the plate and raftei-supporting castings. Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of said casting, showing the same supported upon the post and with a cross-beam and a rafter in position. Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing the connecting means between one of the posts and one of the cross-sills and showing also the lower end of one of the sills in position. lfig. 12 is a plan View showing a portion of the blank or pattern from which the roof is constructed. Fig. 13 is an inverted view of the same, showing it folded and ready for application. Fig. 14 is a sectional view, enlarged, taken on the line 14: la of Fig. 13. Figs. 15, 16, and 17 are sectional views taken on the lines 15 15, 16 16, and 17 17in Fig. 13 and showing the roofcovering in position with relation to the framework. Fig. 18 is a l'ragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of the roof.

Corresponding parts of the several figures are indicated by like characters of reference.

The framework of theimproved house may be described as including side sills 1 1, end sills 2, joists 3, posts or uprights 1 et, ilicluding the corner-posts, side plates 5, end plates G, crosspieces T, longitudinal stringer-beams 8, rafters 9, and ridge-beams 10.

rlhe posts or uprights si are provided at their lower ends and upon their inner sides with beveled notches 11 for the reception of the correspondingly-beveled ends of the end sills at the joists, which latter are provided at the ends thereof with permanently-attached clevises 12, which are of sul'licient dimensions to admit of the insertion of the uprights, which latter are secured within said clevises by means of wedges 13. Upon the upper ends of the posts are secured castings 11, having inclined sleeves 15 for the passage of the rafters Sl. Said castings are also provided with recesses 16 beneath said sleeves for the reception of the outer ends of the end plates and the cross-pieces '7, as the case may be, the latter being' provided with engaging plates 17, having terminal hooks 17/ engaging the outer sides of the posts or nprights. '.lhe castings 1li are also provided with depending flanges itl for engagement with the upper ends of the posts el, upon which they may be secured, as by means el*l bolts 19. Said castings 14: are provided with laterally-extending brackets 20 and flanged side guards 21 for the reception of the side plates 5, which are provided near the ends thereof with grooves i222, adapted for engagement with the said flanged side guards.

The ridge or cap castings 23 have sleeves of angular form for the reception of the upper ends of the rafters 9, which latter are preferably beveled upon their upper ends,'as will be seen at 24. Said cap-castings are also provided with laterally-extending supportingbrackets 25 and with iianged side guardsQ adjacent thereto for engagement with grooves 27, formed in the sides of the ridge-beams 10 near the ends of the latter. Said cap castings are also provided upon their under sides with eyes 28 for engagement with supporting hooks or rods 29.

rlhe castings 30, which have been provided for the support of the end plates, the stringerbeams, and the joists are cruoiform, and each has a central openingl 31, four laterally-extending supporting-brackets 3Q., and pairs of flanged guard members 33 adjacent to said supporting-brackets, said flanged guard members being for engagement with grooves, as at 34, formed in the sides of the members that are to be supported by said castings, near the ends thereof. The central openings 31 in the castings 30 are for the reception of blocks 35, through which extend the lower ends of the supporting-guards 29, which latter are provided with washers 36 and nuts 37, which latter may be tightened to support the castings and the members connected therewith.

It is to be observed that the rafters are to be provided upon their upper sides, at their lower ends, with recesses 38. Said rafters are also provided in their under sides and at their lower ends with recesses 39, forming shoulders 40, which are adapted to abut upon the edges of the castings 14 to prevent the rafters from sliding through the sleeves 15 of said castings. At their upper ends and their under sides the rafters are provided with recesses 41, forming shoulders 42 for engagement with the castings 23 in order that the parts when connected may be securely locked together.

It will be noticed that while the end sills 2 and the cross-pieces 3 are composed each of single timber extending entirely across the width of the building', the end plates 6 and the cross-pieces 7 are each composed of two members adapted for connection, respectively, with the castings 14 and 30. Each bent of the building is thus composed of a bottom sill or cross-piece, two upright posts, two rafters, and two members constituting an end plate or a crosspiece 7, as the case may be, together with the castings and connecting means, whereby the said members are united. A plurality of bents thus constructed may be connected by means of sills, side plates, Stringer-beams, and cap-beams, so as to form a structure of any desired length. ln a small structure only two bents will be required, while in a larger structure any desired number of bents may be employed.

The roof of the improved structure is composed, as hereinbefore stated, preferably of i'iexible textile material, which is provided at the corners thereof with incisions 43, as best seen in Fig. 12, and along the edges thereof with slots 44. The iiaps 45 at the corners are folded upon the lines 46, and the end and side edges of the blank are then folded under, as will be best seen in Fig. 13, leaving the corners square. By thus folding pockets 48 are formed, into which stiffening members 49, such as boards of suitable dimensions, may be introduced. Near the inner edges of the folded parts are formed tucks 50, along which are provided eyelets 51. The slots 44 constitute openings for the admission of the ends of the rafters and also for the admission of cornicesupports 52, which are connected with the castings 14 and 23 upon the outer side of the end bents, as will be seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

After the frame of the building has been assembled the roof is thrown into position therefrom and the rafters at one side are introduced into the slots 44. One side and one end of the covering' are next buttoned by the eyelets 51 upon studs 53, provided for engagement therewith upon the side plates and upon the outer sides of the end rafters, the side stiffening members 49 being introduced into the notches 38 at the lower ends of the rafters. By introducing the side stiiiening members into the recesses 38 of the rafters at the opposite sides of the building the covering may now be drawn taut across the building and secured by buttoning upon the side plate. The roof may now be stretched lengthwise and made fast at the opposite end of the building. This procedure maybe preferable; but it is of course not necessary that it should always be followed.

Side and end walls 54, of flexible or textile material, are also provided, the same being hemmed at their upper edges and provided with eyelets for engagement with the studs. The lower edges of the side walls are provided with hems 55, forming pockets for the reception of stiffening members 56, which are introduced into notches 57 at the lower ends of the posts or uprights 4, where they are secured by finally driving into place the wedges 13.

It is obvious thatinconnection with the improved portable building here described doors and windows may be used wherever needed, and such doors and windows may be supported in any suitable and convenient manner; but they have not been shown in the drawings, as they do not form an essential part of the present invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The construction is simple, durable, and efcient and of such a nature that the building` may be l rafters being` provided with recesses forming' erected or disassembled in a very short space of time and with little trouble. lt is also obvious that no labor is needed in the erection thereof.

The metallic connecting' members which enter into the contruction of this improved portable house have throughout been referred to as Lcastingsf7 but it is desired to be understood that it is by no means necessary that said connecting' members be constructed of east metal, inasmuch as other material may at times be advantageously employed. As a rule, however, castings of malleable iron vvill be 'used on account of the cheapness with which they may be produced and the general efficiency of this material for the purposes of the invention.

1f it shall be desired to place Windows at the gable ends of the house, the supporting'- rods 29 will be omitted and in place thereof the abutting ends of the. members constituting' the end plates 6 may be supported by an upright post resting' upon the end sill 2. llhe gable end will thus be unobstructed to receive a Window frame or casing of ordinary construction. v

Having' fully described the invention, what is claimed iis-- 1. In aportable house, a bent including a cross-sill, uprights connected therewith, rafters supported by the uprights, a casting' connecting' said rafters, and cross-beam or plate members connected With the upper ends of the posts and supported by an intermediate casting suspended from the cap-casting'.

i2. A cross beam or sill having' beveled ends and provided with clips extending beyond said ends, posts insertible into the clips and having' beveled recesses engaging' the beveled ends of the cross-piece, and connecting-Wedges.

3. A cross-piece, nprights connected with the ends thereof, castings supported upon said uprights and having inclined sleeves, and rafters fitted in said sleeves and having abutting ends.

Ll. A cross-piece, uprig'hts at the ends thereof, connecting members supported upon said uprights and including' inclined sleeves and recesses having' laterally extending' bracketplates, a ridge-cap, rafters extending' through the sleeves and into the rid ge-cap,a rod dependingl from the latter, a supportingmcmberconnected with said rod and having' supporting'- brackets and flanged guard members, and cross-beams supported at the outer ends in the recesses of the connectingl members and the upper ends of the posts and provided near their inner ends with grooves engaging' the flanged guards of the supporting member.

5. A cross-piece,uprights connected detachably with the ends thereof, connecting members supported' upon the uprights and having inclined sleeves, a cap member, and rafters engaging said sleeves and cap member, the said shoulders abutting' upon the sleeves and cap members.

6. ln a portablebuilding', bents each incl uding' a cross-piece, uprights supported at the ends. thereof, connecting members supported upon said nprig'hts and including' inclined sleeves, recesses having' laterally-extending' brackets, and laterallyextending sumiortingflanges having' flanged guards at the ends thereof, inclined cap members having' laterally-extending su pporting-flanges and flanged. guards at the sides thereof, rafters engaging' the inclined sleeves of the connecting' members and the cap members, rods depending from the latter, cruciform supporting' members connected with said rods and provided with pairs of flanged guards upon the four sides thereof, and cross members having grooves engaging oppositely-disposed flanged guards of said supporting' members and snpported at their outer ends in the recesses of the connecting' members at the outer ends of the posts; in combination with side plate inembers, ridg'e-beam members and longitudinal string'er members each having' grooves near the ends thereof engaging flanged guards of the connecting members, the cap-beam members and the crucil'orni supporting' members respectively.

7. A portable building'in which a plurality of ben ts are connected by Stringer-beams, capbeam members and longitrulinal ridge-beam members detachably connected with said bents.

8. ln a portable building' having rafters projecting beyond the side walls, a flexible roof provided at the edges thereof with folds having' slits for the admission of the ends of the rafters.

9. ll'n a portable building having rafters extending' beyond the end walls and provided with recesses in their upper sides at the outer ends thereof, a flexible roof having' folds pron vided with stilfening' memhers'to eng'ag'e the recesses in the rafters and provided with tucks adapted for connection with the side plates of the building.

10. ln a portable building having' rafter." extending' beyond the side walls thereof to form eaves, a Vl'lesible roof having folds provided With slits for the reception of the ends of the rafters, and tucks for engagement with the side plates.

ll. .ln a portable building having' rafters extendcrfl beyond the side walls to form eaves and provided with cornice members at the gable ends, a flexible roof having side and end folds provided with stil'l'ening' members and with slits for the admission of the ends of the rafters and of the cornice members, stillening' members supported in said foldsfor engagement with the rafters and cornice members, and tucks provided with eyelets for the temporary attachment of the roof.

12. In @portable building, Cross-pieces prostil-lening members et the lower ends of the vided with Clips it the ends thereof.y uprights side walls. engaging said clips and having' recesses at In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as their lower ends, side plates, flexible side walls my own l have hereto afiixed my signature in seams at their lower edges, stitl'ening members in said seams engaging their recesses at the lower ends of the posts or uprights, and wedges engaging the Clips at the ends of the cross-pieces to secure the uprights and the JAMES A. WTALKER.

lVitnesses:

A. P. WHITNEY,

E. R. WALKER.

attached to said side plates provided with the presence of two witnesses.

I l l 

